Multi-display apparatus and method of controlling the same

• US 9,348,504 B2
• Filed: 10/10/2013
• Issued: 05/24/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kwak, Ji-yeon, Kim, Hyun-jin
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Kevin
• Application Number:
  US14/050,803
• Publication Number:
  US 20140101575A1
• Time in Patent Office: 957 Days
• Field of Search: 715/781, 715/702, 715/767, 715/789, 715/830, 715/864
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1616 with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1614 Image rotation following screen orientation, e.g. switching from landscape to portrait mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1637 Sensing arrangement for detection of housing movement or orientation, e.g. for controlling scrolling or cursor movement on the display of an handheld computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0486 Drag-and-drop
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0216 Foldable in one direction, i.e. using a one degree of freedom hinge
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0243 using the relative angle between housings
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/16 including more than one display unit

Abstract

A multi-display apparatus includes a first body on which a first display is provided, a second body on which a second display is provided, a hinge configured to connect the first body and the second body, a storage configured to store control operation information which is matched with a rotated state of the first body and the second body, a sensor configured to sense a folding gesture to rotate at least one of the first body and the second body on a basis of the hinge, and a controller configured to perform, when the folding gesture is sensed, an operation corresponding to the folding gesture using the control operation information corresponding to the rotated state of a rotated body from among the first body and the second body.

Claims

1. A multi-display apparatus, comprising:

a first body on which a first display is provided;

a second body on which a second display is provided;

a hinge configured to connect the first body and the second body;

a storage configured to store control operation information which is matched with a rotated state of the first body and the second body;

a sensor configured to sense a folding gesture to rotate at least one of the first body and the second body on a basis of the hinge; and

a controller configured to perform, when the folding gesture is sensed, an operation corresponding to the folding gesture using the control operation information corresponding to the rotated state of a rotated body from among the first body and the second body,

wherein the sensor detects a position of the first body and a position of the second body respectively, and senses the folding gesture based on the detected position of the first body and the detected position of the second body.

2. The multi-display apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to display a user interface corresponding to the folding gesture at a predetermined area of a screen of the first display or the second display.

3. The multi-display apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the controller is configured to expand and to reduce the user interface according to a dragging direction when a manipulation to drag the user interface is input.

4. The multi-display apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the controller is configured to adjust at least one of a display position and a shape of the user interface according to a dragging direction when a manipulation to drag the user interface is input.

5. The multi-display apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the sensor is configured to sense rotation of the multi-display apparatus, and the controller is configured to change an arrangement direction of objects displayed on the user interface according to a rotating direction when rotation of the multi-display apparatus is sensed.

6. The multi-display apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the sensor is configured to sense rotation of the multi-display apparatus, and the controller is configured to change a display position of the user interface according to a rotating direction when rotation of the multi-display apparatus is sensed.

7. The multi-display apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the controller is configured to display, when the first body is rotated in a first direction, a clipboard user interface on a predetermined area of a screen of the first display;

the controller is configured to display, when the first body is rotated in a second direction opposite to the first direction, an application configuration user interface on the predetermined area of the screen of the first display;

the controller is configured to display, when the second body is rotated in a third direction, a quick launcher user interface on a predetermined area of a screen of the second display; and

the controller is configured to display, when the second body is rotated in a fourth direction opposite to the third direction, a configuration user interface on the predetermined area of the screen of the second display.

8. The multi-display apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein:

the controller is configured to produce a first symbol for a first object and to display the first symbol on the clipboard user interface when a first touch gesture is input to select the first object on the screen displayed on one of the first display and the second display and to move the first object onto the clipboard user interface; and

the controller is configured to produce a second object for a second symbol and to display the second object on the screen displayed on one of the first display and the second display when a second touch gesture is input to select the second symbol displayed on the clipboard user interface and to move the second symbol onto the screen.

9. The multi-display apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein:

the controller is configured to display a recycle bin icon on the clipboard user interface when a first touch gesture is input to touch a symbol displayed on the clipboard user interface for a predetermined time; and

the controller is configured to delete the symbol from the clipboard user interface when a second touch gesture is input to move the symbol to the recycle bin icon.

10. The multi-display apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the folding gesture is a folding and flat gesture in which the first body or the second body is rotated in a first direction on the basis of the hinge and is rotated in a second direction opposite to the first direction within a predetermined time.

11. The multi-display apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein:

the controller is configured to display, when the folding and flat gesture occurs, a screen corresponding to the folding and flat gesture on at least one of the first display and the second display; and

the controller is configured to stop displaying the screen, when the folding and flat gesture occurs again while the controller is displaying the screen, and to return to an original state.

12. The multi-display apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the folding gesture is a folding and hold gesture in which the first body or the second body is rotated in a first direction on the basis of the hinge and is maintained in this position for a predetermined time.

13. The multi-display apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein:

the controller is configured to display, when the folding and hold gesture occurs and while in a holding state, a screen corresponding to the folding and hold gesture on at least one of the first display and the second display; and

the controller is configured to stop displaying the screen, when the holding state is released, and to return to an original state.

26. The multi-display apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sensor is at least one of a gyroscope sensor, a geomagnetic sensor and an acceleration sensor.

14. A method of controlling a multi-display apparatus, the method comprising:

storing control operation information which is matched with a rotated state of a first body of the multi-display apparatus and a second body of the multi-display apparatus, wherein a first display is provided on the first body, a second display is provided on the second body, and a hinge is configured to connect the first body and the second body;

sensing a folding gesture to rotate at least one of the first body and the second body on a basis of the hinge; and

performing, when the folding gesture is sensed, an operation corresponding to the folding gesture using the control operation information corresponding to the rotated state of a rotated body from among the first body and the second body,

wherein the sensing comprises detecting a position of the first body and a position of the second body respectively, and sensing the folding gesture based on the detected position of the first body and the detected position of the second body.

15. The method as claimed in claim 14, wherein the performing the operation corresponding to the folding gesture includes displaying a user interface corresponding to the folding gesture at a predetermined area of a screen of the first display or the second display.

16. The method as claimed in claim 15, further comprising:

expanding or reducing the user interface according to a dragging direction when a manipulation to drag the user interface is input.

17. The method as claimed in claim 15, further comprising:

adjusting at least one of a display position and a shape of the user interface according to a dragging direction when a manipulation to drag the user interface is input.

18. The method as claimed in claim 14, wherein the performing the operation corresponding to the folding gesture includes:

displaying, when the first body is rotated in a first direction, a clipboard user interface on a predetermined area of a screen of the first display;

displaying, when the first body is rotated in a second direction opposite to the first direction, an application configuration user interface on the predetermined area of the screen of the first display;

displaying, when the second body is rotated in a third direction, a quick launcher user interface on a predetermined area of a screen of the second display; and

displaying, when the second body is rotated in a fourth direction opposite to the third direction, a configuration user interface on the predetermined area of the screen of the second display.

19. The method as claimed in claim 18, further comprising:

producing a first symbol for a first object and displaying the first symbol on the clipboard user interface when a first touch gesture is input to select the first object on the screen displayed on one of the first display and the second display and to move the first object onto the clipboard user interface; and

producing a second object for a second symbol and displaying the second object on the screen displayed on one of the first display and the second display when a second touch gesture is input to select the second symbol displayed on the clipboard user interface and to move the second symbol onto the screen.

20. The method as claimed in claim 18, further comprising:

displaying a recycle bin icon on the clipboard user interface when a first touch gesture is input to touch a symbol displayed on the clipboard user interface for a predetermined time; and

deleting the symbol from the clipboard user interface when a second touch gesture is input to move the symbol to the recycle bin icon.

21. The method as claimed in claim 14, wherein the folding gesture is a folding and flat gesture in which the first body or the second body is rotated in a first direction on the basis of the hinge and is rotated in a second direction opposite to the first direction within a predetermined time.

22. The method as claimed in claim 21, wherein the performing the operation corresponding to the folding gesture includes:

displaying, when the folding and flat gesture occurs, a screen corresponding to the folding and flat gesture on at least one of the first display and the second display; and

stopping displaying the screen, when the folding and flat gesture occurs again while displaying the screen, and returning to an original state.

23. The method as claimed in claim 14, wherein the folding gesture is a folding and hold gesture in which the first body or the second body is rotated in a first direction on the basis of the hinge and is maintained in this position for a predetermined time.

24. The method as claimed in claim 23, wherein the performing the operation corresponding to the folding gesture includes:

displaying, when the folding and hold gesture occurs and while in a holding state, a screen corresponding to the folding and hold gesture on at least one of the first display and the second display; and

stopping displaying the screen, when the holding state is released, and returning to an original state.

25. An electronic apparatus, comprising:

a first body connected to a second body in a common housing;

a sensor configured to sense a gesture to rotate the first body with respect to the second body and to produce a signal in response to the gesture; and

a controller configured to perform, in response to the signal, an operation in at least one of the first body and the second body, the operation corresponding to the gesture,

wherein the sensor detects a position of the first body and a position of the second body respectively, and senses the folding gesture based on the detected position of the first body and the detected position of the second body.